FRANK E. BEDDAED— VEEMES. 27 



being exceedingly long, and at their commencement and for a long way back of much 

 less diameter than they are more posteriorly. The sacs extend for more than 

 30 segments back from their point of origin. That of the right side is fifteen segments 

 longer than the shorter sperm-sac of the left side. The difference in length in this 

 species is more pronounced than in that next to be described. The dilated chambers 

 at the beginning of the spenn-dt(ct immediately after it leaves the funnel are conspicuous 

 in this as in the next species. The spermiducal glands are peculiar in form and do not 

 altogether agree with those of P. sylvestris, to which they appear to come nearer in 

 structure than to those of other species of the genus Polytoreutus. They agree, however, 

 with the last-named species in the fact that the duct of the gland instead of emerging, 

 as is the rule among these worms, from the end of the spermiducal gland, leaves the 

 gland some little way in front of the proximal end. Each gland is rather bent in form, 

 but otherwise lies straight. It is of firm consistency, but is not covered with a sheath 

 of muscle appreciable to the naked eye or through a lens. The slight bending of the 

 corresponding glands in Polytoreutus sylvestris figured by Michaelsen is rather 

 exaggerated in the present species ; they appear also to be rather longer in P. sylvestris 

 than in P. ruwenzorii. Michaelsen does not mention in that species a character which 

 is very noteworthy in P. ruwenzorii. He describes the "prostate" glands indeed merely 

 as being " unregelmassig eingeschniirte." In the specimen of P. rmoenzorii reported 

 upon here the surface of the gland was much marked by furrows, and the appearance 

 given was that of a very long gland tightly coiled up with some concrescence between 

 the individual loops of the coil. There is no indication of anything of the kind in the 

 figures given by Michaelsen either of P. sylvestris or of its allies. The two copulatory 

 chambers mentioned by Michaelsen * in P. sylvestris and P. kirimaensis are quite as large 

 in P. ruwenzorii as in those species. 



As in several species — for example, Polytoreutus kirimaensis f , — the present species 

 of Polytoreutus is to be characterised by a very slender spermathecal sac which lies 

 beneath the nerve-cord, than which it is no thicker. It is thus difficult to see, and, as 

 Michaelsen has remarked, is apt to escape the eye. Particularly was this the case with 

 the Avorm described in the present communication. For the contents were very slight 

 in certain regions of the sac, which rendered it even more difficult of observation. 

 It is certainly no wider than the nerve-cord, which overlies it. It is largely by virtue 

 of the different forms which the spermathecal sac shows in this genus that the species 

 of Polytm^eutus are discriminated. 



The species which I name Polytoreutus ruwenzorii is quite different in details, so far 

 as concerns this organ, from any other species of which descriptions have been published. 

 It comes nearest to Polytoreutus % kirimaensis so far as I can gather, but shows 

 obvious differences from that species. 

 * Loc. cit. 



t Michaelsen, " Die Eegenwiirmer Ost-Afrikas," in Deutsch-Ost-Afnka, vol. iv. 1896, p. 16. 

 X Loc. cit. pi. ii. fig. 21. 



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